Knee STRAP or SLEEVE or BRACE? (Runner's Knee or chondromalacia)

[ko_kidd]

What do people normally use for this problem?

What I have is a slip-on knee sleeve from Benik that fits fairly well. It's neoprene and has a velcro insert to help align my knee. However keeping it clean and dry is a pain obviously since I like to work out.

Besides simply getting another one (which I'm in the process of doing) do people normally use these knee sleeves or have doctors ever prescribed those knee straps (they're like 1" thick and go around the knee) or braces or anything else?

[daveshit]

What do people normally use for this problem?

What I have is a slip-on knee sleeve from Benik that fits fairly well. It's neoprene and has a velcro insert to help align my knee. However keeping it clean and dry is a pain obviously since I like to work out.

Besides simply getting another one (which I'm in the process of doing) do people normally use these knee sleeves or have doctors ever prescribed those knee straps (they're like 1" thick and go around the knee) or braces or anything else?

I have chondromalatia, and my orthopaedist told me to get those, I don't know how to call it. It just a narrow tape, that come under patella, and limits patela ROM, so it dosen't get to low.

[ko_kidd]

I have chondromalatia, and my orthopaedist told me to get those, I don't know how to call it. It just a narrow tape, that come under patella, and limits patela ROM, so it dosen't get to low.

Yeah that's a knee strap.

Interesting, they gave me a poorly fitting knee sleeve (kept falling down) then they gave me this other knee sleeve that seems to work well.

Does the knee strap seem to work for you? Do you wear it longer than just working out?

[kcurran]

I have a nice knee strap for above the knee that works for my few IT band and runner's knee occurences. I completely forget the brand, but it's a nice basic black velcro strap. It's pretty small too, a nice alternative to the ones that cover the whole knee. It has gotten me thru 5 seriously painful knee problems and the time in between them lengthened as well, and I also picked up a foam roller to use on my quads after long runs, which has helped my knees tremendously as well.

[daveshit]

Yeah that's a knee strap.

Interesting, they gave me a poorly fitting knee sleeve (kept falling down) then they gave me this other knee sleeve that seems to work well.

Does the knee strap seem to work for you? Do you wear it longer than just working out?

I bought them but i'm just two weeks of surgery so i don't workout. hope it will be helpful.

[cybergroove]

I bought them but i'm just two weeks of surgery so i don't workout. hope it will be helpful.

What kind of knee surgery did you have? Lateral Release? If so, let me know how it went and your progress thus far. I am schedule for an LR on Nov 2nd, unsure if I'm going to follow thru with it because I can cycle and run enough to stay in shape, but can't make the long distances because my knee starts hurting. Doc says I have a tilted patella. I've been working my inner quads out like crazy, it's making me stronger on the bike and run, but still have pain. Strange thing is on my managable distances I don't have pain; however, sometimes sitting at my desk my knee starts bothering me. Debating on trying a dual strap before deciding on cancelling/going forth on my surgery. Any info about your surgery would be much appreciated. Thanks

[ko_kidd]

I bought them but i'm just two weeks of surgery so i don't workout. hope it will be helpful.

BTW, what was that for? Were you just having pain and/or was it a functional problem?

[thesparkly1]

Just out of interest, have you addressed all the factors that might be causing this prob ko_kidd? eg. VMO weakness, tight lateral retinaculum, tight ITB, excessive ankle pronation etc. Also, are you taking glucosamine sulfate to facilitate cartilage repair? re. the brace, if i had to recommend a brace for this condition, i would recommend Rehband's Genu Lux Patella Knee Brace - its a flexible brace that also restrains lateral movement of the patella. I've used it on quite a few patients over the years with very good results.